Sen. John Cornyn dubs Rick Perry’s debate debut a “solid performance”

Texas Gov. Rick Perry “gave a solid performance” in his first GOP presidential debate with seven rivals for the GOP nomination.

That’s the word from Sen. John Cornyn, R-San Antonio.

But Cornyn, a second term senator, said personally he would have chosen “different words” than Perry to describe the state of the Social Security system relied upon by millions of Americans.

Perry ignited the GOP presidential debate last night by describing the pension and disability program inaugurated during the Great Depression as “a Ponzi scheme” and “a lie.”

“I think with regard to Social Security, everybody knows — everybody knows that Social Security needs to be fixed and it can’t go on as it’s currently structured,” Cornyn told reporters in a telephone news conference.

“I understand the governor’s frustration with it. I would choose different words but we all understand that the Social Security system is unsustainable as it’s currently structured and it needs to be fixed. Everybody understands that from the president of the United States to the 25 year-old who is working and really doesn’t believe that ultimately Social Security is going to be available for them; they know it won’t be there unless we fix it.”